Michael Wittig announces candidacy for Bureau County sheriff

Michael Wittig, a Bureau County patrol officer, will run for Bureau County sheriff with the goals of leading with integrity and serving with honor, he said.

“As a veteran, I understand the value of duty, discipline and sacrifice,” Wittig said. “I have dedicated my entire professional life to serving others, and will bring that same commitment to leading the sheriff’s office.”

He is aiming to gain the Democratic nomination in the 2026 election. Jim Reed currently is the county’s sheriff, serving his third term.

Wittig began his service in the United States Army as a company clerk, a TOW missile gunner and a squad leader, his news release said. During his military career, Wittig served in Alaska, Kentucky, and as part of Task Force Falcon during peace-keeping operations in Kosovo.

“My time in the military taught me the importance of teamwork and accountability first and foremost, but also respect for those you serve,” Wittig said. “These principles will guide me as the department and I move forward into a challenging 21st century with the utmost in professionalism and deep connections to the community we serve.”

Wittig and his family live in Princeton, where he was born and raised after graduating from Princeton High School. He began his career in public service in 1997 when he joined the U.S Army before moving into law enforcement in 2003 in Bartonville. As a police officer, he has worked as a patrol officer and an investigator, as well as qualifying for various specialties within the law enforcement community such as being a field training officer and a range master, both of which focus on teaching officers.

In his personal life, he was a volunteer youth coach, a member of the Princeton Moose Lodge, the American Legion and Shooting Park Road Baptist Church.

If he were to be elected sheriff, Wittig said he is committed to ensuring public safety while building a deeper trust and a more collaboration with all members of the community.

If elected, he said his first priorities include; promoting community-oriented policing practices, which is a style of policing he has believed in and practiced as long as he’s been in law enforcement, enhancing transparency within the department so the community knows and understands what their sheriff’s office is doing and improving the law enforcement training deputies receive to make the department more agile and thoughtful in responding to the myriad of different types of calls for service.

“I am committed to keeping our streets safe and ensuring that our deputies have the training and resources they need to protect and serve,” Wittig said. “Together, the sheriff’s office and the community can build a safer, stronger community for everyone.”

Wittig said his campaign motto will be “Leading with Integrity, Serving with Honor.”